Liquid aerosol indicator



United States Patent LIQUID AEROSOL INDICATOR Franklin W. Booth, 217 Regent St., Hampton, Va.

FiledjOct. 31, 19,56, Ser. No. 619,646

6 Claims. (Cl. 73-29) (Granted under Title 35, U.S. Code (1952), sec. 266) The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government of the United States of America for governmental purposes without the payment of any royalties thereon or therefor.

This invention relates to apparatus for continuous or intermittent measurement of a suspension of liquid particles in a gas, usually known as liquid aerosols, particularly aerosols in a condition of supersaturation in a gas stream at gas pressures varying from sub-atmospheric to super-atmospheric pressures.

In many manufacturing processes it has become important to determine the mass of liquid in aerosols which are subject to varying pressures, such as water vapor in air upstream and downstream of liquid moisture separators or in air entering silicagel or activated aluminaair dryers.

It is, accordingly, an important object of the invention to provide apparatus for mass measurement of liquid aerosols streams .at widely varying pressures. An object, also, is to `provide an apparatus for liquid aerosol mass measurement which is Voperable at super-atmospheric pressures. Objects of the invention pertain, also, to provision of apparatus of the described type which is simple in construction and may be of small size and be readily manipulated for quantitative determinations.

Other objects and many of the attendant advantages of athis invention will be readily appreciated as the same 'becomes better understood by reference to the following :detailed description when considered in connection lwith :the accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view showing :the various elements of the apparatus; and l Fig. 2 is la similar View yof a modied form vof the .apparatus usable only at super atmospheric pressures.

The apparatus, as shown in Fig. l, includes a metal :screw tting 10 .having va `central duct 11 therethrough, ithe litting having Aa central section 12 and externally :threaded ends 13 and 14. A screw -valve 15 lis threaded :in a threaded recess in central section 12, the valve having za. pointed end 16 adapted, Aon valve rotation, Ito adjust `the ilow of uid through duct 11 from zero `to full value. yThe threaded end 414 of iitting 10 is attachable 4to -the tting 8 connected to .gas pipe 7, the mass content of the contained gas in which, is to be determined. A therfmometer 5 and pressure gauge 6 are connected to the pipe 7 to obtain the temperature andpressure of the'gas lilowing in the pipe. A Pitot-'type tube 17 is inserted ,at fthe end of duct 11 at screw end 14 to :facilitate `gas flow linto the duct. Screw .end 130i fitting 12 is internally hollowed to form a conical extension 18 of duct 11, permitting uniform .expansion of t-he gas `iiow from `the 'duct 11 tothe approximate'diameter of the screwend `13.

Section '12of fitting 10 has a diameter. somewhat larger Ithan the screw end 13 so that a shoulder 219 is lformed lbetween these parts; and this shoulder is increased in width :by an :annular groove 20cutfat the `base of the thread 13. .hollow metal expansion tube 25, having one end .26 internally threaded, isattached .tothe fitting .thread 113.,

'lee

of Wet bulb and dry bulb in describing the thermomi eters since they are of the electrical thermocouple type. The cell 30 contains an electric heating element 33 which may be in the form of an open ended tube containing a bare electrical conductor ,connected at its ends to lead-out Wires 34 and 35. Each lead-out wire is supported by a terminal member 36 consisting of a metal screw plug 37 having a central bore adapted to receive the wire tube 38, the plug being screw-threaded in an opening in the wall of tube 25. The tube 38 protrudes beyond the plug ends, on the inner end the tube being surrounded ,by a sealing washer 39, and on the outer end carrying a screw element 40 adapted to prevent gas vleakage around tube 38.

The dry thermometer cell 31 has a diameter slightly smaller than the heater cell 30 and the wet thermometer 32 cell. This permits formation of ledges 4-1 and `42 at the ends ofV the dry thermometer cell 31, the ledge 41 serving to support the nozzle 43 and the ledge 42 supporting screen 44. ANozzle 43 is in the form of an apertured disk held in position by setl screw 45, the aperture 46 Jfor half its length from the wet thermometer cell side being cylindrical and of reduced diameter, as at 47, and the other 4half ,48 being ared outwardly to Vform a converg-l ing conical surface 'for -iluid flow. The screen y4,4 isiixed at its edges, by any suitable means, to the ledge 42.

Penetrating the wall vof cell 3-1 is the dry thermometer 49, that is a thermometer indicating the actual gas temperature Within Vthe expansion chamber. This thermometer is shown as of `the electrical type, including a ther; mocouple .positioned at the inner end of and `supported by a tube 50, the wire Vterminals being indicated at 51. Tube 49 is press iitted withinscrew plug 52 and entends beyond the outer plug surface where it is adapted to ref ceive a sealing nut 53 screwiitted to the plug for compression of sealing gasket 54. l

In ,the wet thermometer cell k3,2 an opening y55 is made in the wall for insertion of the wet thermometer 56 at la Vpoint spaced suiiciently vfrom the dry Athermometer to prevent `inaccurate readings of both instruments. This thermometer is of the thermocouple type, as at 49, and includes -the thermocouple Vtube 57 which is supported, withits thermocouple end penetrating opening 55,'by1a screw plug 58 -iitted in the outer wall -59 of a box-like casing 60 surrounding, and displaced from the 4expansion tube wall opening 55 and attached to, or preferably integral with, tube-25. The casing ,60 serves when the apparatus is in upright position, as shown `in Fig. 1, as a receptacle for wetting liquid Vfor the thermometer, a removable plug 6 3` being provided on the top side for liquid supply. ',As is psualin thermometers `of this type;

. 3 Y closed by screw head68. A pressure gauge 69 is attached to tube 25 at the section 32, .this gauge giving the expansion chamber pressure and facilitating calculation of the expansion ratio of theaerosol across the valve 15.. 'I'he outer end of tube 25 is externally'threadedas .at Y'70 for connection to a reduced pressure point, which may be the suction point of a compression stage inthe system, as indicated at 71, the connection being through coupling 72 and pipe 73. In this manner, the pressure and density Vofae'rosol ow may b evaried.

The operation of the apparatus islas follows. YAssuming threaded end 14 ofthe fitting 10 is coupled to the source Vof gas super-saturated with liquid aerosols to be vmeasured and threaded end 70 coupled to a point of pres: Ysure reduced over values prevalent in Athe'apparatus, and

assuming also that the source pressure of the gas-is superatmospheric, valve 15 is manipulated to permita sample ow of aerosol into cell 30. Here-the gas is expanded and cools asA a-resultthereof. Heater 33 then 'heatsthe' expanded gas to the original intake temperature, andV also Y, impingement on the wet thermometer wick in cell 32 of such value as to obtain accurate readings, the .drop in temperature due to evaporation, asregistered by the wet thermometer 56,giving the required wet-dry differential for calculation of the relative humidity of the gas in the usual way by use of standardftables. Given thev relative humidity, the mass in grains per cubic foot may be obtained from published data, and this value is multiplied by the expansion-.ratio across inlet valve 15 to obtain the grains per cubic foot in the original gas stream. From this value, the grains necessary tofsaturate the gas is sub-i tracted, Vgiving the required aerosol gas content. Where determination-of mass ow is made for a volatile sub-V stance suchV as Freon, the-liquid Freon is injected into casing 60 throughthe basal port -with the pressure, as indicated by-gauge 69, being in excess ofthe condensation pressure of the volatile liquid, Vthe aerosol gas and vapor from the test source passing through the expansion Y tube Where it is subject-to heating and Ydry and wet temperature measurement. v

Where super-atmospheric pressures only-are involved in the use of the apparatus, the modified form of apparatusshownV in Fig. 2 Ymay be used. In this modification, the tting 75 is similar-to fitting 10 of Fig, 1 except, by elimination of the .gas leakage problem, the fitting end l76 corresponding to screw end 13 of Fig. 1 is smoothsided and press-fitted into, the tube 77, Where it is held by a set-screw 74. Partsv in thismodication which are Y Y identical in form and function to the-parts of Fig. lare indicated by similar numbering. n

The tube 77 is of iibre and is divided into two cells 78 and 79 by lmixer screen 80,.andV an electric heater 81 4 wet thermometer 87 to avoid the .cooling effectof the wet bulb of thermometer 87 produced bythe moistened fabric 89. l

The operation of the modied apparatus of Fig. 2 is similar to that of the Fig. l apparatus. YIn bothk arrangements it is apparent that for gases super-saturated with liquid aerosols at super-atrnospheric pressures Vquantitative i. measurements of the liquid particle densitymay be readily made. Where high pressures or sub-atmospheric pressures in the Yexpansion chamber-fareinvolved, use of the apparatus of Fig.` 1 is-indicated.-V A detailed example of the procedure of aerosol determination may'aid in the understanding of the-'apparatus' yhereinabove described,

followingthe Fig. 2 modification;A Assume'Y a gas ow in pipe 7, the aerosol-'content of which is to be determined, the'direction of ilow being indicated by the arrow 4. Assume, also, a gas temperature of 100 and pressure of 147.0 pounds. per square Vinch absolute .in pipe 7, and an mometers'37 and 88 show values of 831/:a F. and 100 F.. respectively. From a psychrometric chart, a dry bulb readingY 100 F. will'indicate farelative humidity of 50 percent. Y From published data it will be foundthat one cubic foot 100 F. air will contain 19.95grains of water when fully saturated. Consequently, at 50 percent relative humidity one cubic foot of air contains 9.975 grains ofmoisture. n v,

VUsing the known fact that. `tltte;.quantity of-,water absorbed by onecubic foot of .air for saturatedi conditions is completely independent of pressure, then it is apparent that the source gas sample contains vwaterin the quantity of 9.975 (grains of waterin the expanded unit) times the vcompression ratio betweenij14l7 and 147.0 .or 99.75 grainspercubic foot.. Toobtain the aerosol content, 19.975 (grains per cubic foot fully saturatedyissubtracted from the total grain content of 99.75, giving a value of 79.80 grains per. cubic foot of liquid aerosol in the orig-j inalairstr'eam. f

Obviously many modications and .variations of .the

. present invention are possible in the light of ,theabove is `provided 'in cell 78 which is similar to heater 33, with -f the 'exception of the wire terminal lead-in arrangement where, since no inow Vgas-leakage is involved, the terminal wires 82 are merely passed through electric insulation blocks 83 in the tube wall. f

Tube cell 79 is open-ended and includes both wet and dry bulb thermometers whichV are shown as of the liquid type. .lA thermometer board support 84 is mounted vertically Vonthe tube 79 Vto protrude from'the openk end thereof, and to this board are attached'the elastic thermometerclip units 85 and 86. These clips support the wet thermometer 87 vand the dry thermometer- 88, dry thermometerSS, being mounted at-a higher level than teachings. A It `is therefore toV beV understood that within theV scope of the appended claims the invention may be practiced otherwise than as speciiically` described.

What is claimed is: y ,c v 1.:Appa.ratus,for determination of the niasscontentof liquid aerosols comprisingan elongated tubular expansaid source toward said. chamber being a small `fraction of the diameter of said chamber, a Vlength of said duct adjacent said chamber being longitudinally aligned therewith and linearly varying in diameter vfrom thediameter, ofsaid portion of said duct to the diameter of said chamber for diffusing said compressed gas into said chamber, saidv length of said duct forming ,an end Wall of said chamber, said chamber containing a heating cell yadjacent said duct, means for heating said cell and Vthereby vaporising the Yaerosols suspended within said 'diffused gas, .the resulting vgas being less thansaturated with said yapor, and wet and dry thermometers mounted inV said chamber.'

'2. The apparatus as dened inclaim 1, said chamber containing Va thermometer cell positioned adjacent said heating cell and downstream thereof,.and Va mixing screen interposed 'between said heatingY andV thermometer cells for securing uniform .vapor particle'dispersion.. '3. The apparatus as defined inclaiml withsaid wet thermometer'mounted on the'down stream-side of said dry thermometer, :andra nozzle .positioned .betweensad thermometers and secured to the wall of said chamber indicating means `for indicating aerosol pressures in said Y for accelerating and directing aerosol ow by said Wet chamber. thermometer and for aiding in controlling the expansion of the source gas in said chamber. References Cited in the le of this patent 4. The apparatus as dened in claim 3, with said nozzle 5 UNITED STATES PATENTS being 1n the form of a plate placed `across sald thermometer chamber and having an orifice therethrough, the up- 1,601,243 IrWm Sept 23, 1925 .stream section of said orifice having a downstream con- 11620854 Belles@ Mal'- 15, 1927 verging wall andthe downstream section of said orice 1,894,172 Guthfle et al- Ian- 10, 1933 being CylindricaL 10 2,264,966 Burdlck Dec. 2, 1941 5. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 and suction 25091889 Shockley May 30, 1950 means attached to the downstream end of said expansion 216291253 Beaton Feb- 24, 1953 h b f t l1 d f du d gelaonsior or con ro mg the ensity o said se .FOREIGN PATENTS 6. The apparatus as dened in claim 5, and pressure 15 908,947 France Nov. 12, 1945 

